The populations of developed countries worldwide are ageing quickly. For example, in the United States of America, demographic statistics indicate that there are currently (as of 2016) around 49 million people who are 65 years of age or older, accounting for about 15% of the total population. The population that is 65 or older is projected to grow at a rate of about 1.8 million per year in the US, so within ten years, the number is expected to be around 67 million—about 19% of the total projected population. The percentage of the population that will be 65 or older is expected to increase even more rapidly in many other developed countries, including many European countries, and Japan.
As the elder population increases, the need for protecting them from falling is becoming increasingly important. According to medical statistics, about one million elderly people fall each month, and roughly 45% of them either pass out or are otherwise incapable of reporting their fall immediately, to call for assistance.